This new cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant originated as seedling number 82-135-88 resulting from a cross of Spartan and Chiquita's Rival (unpatented cultivars) made in 1981 at St. Paul, Minn. during the course of breeding efforts in an on-going Chrysanthemum project under direction of the inventor, a professor at the University of Minnesota, Department of Horticultural Science and Landscape Architecture.
Minnesota Selection (NM Sel.) 82-135-88 was discovered and selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in the fall of 1982, in the St. Paul Campus field test plots at the University of Minnesota. The early opening of the 3.5 cm, white pompon flowers with light yellow centers, with the entire flower fading to a snow-white color and resistance to pinking at low temperatures, caused me to select this seedling for propagation and testing. The first act of asexual reproduction of MN Sel. 82-135-88 was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken in March-April 1983, in a controlled environment in St. Paul, Minn. Cuttings were from the initial selection plant that had been dug from the field in late October, 1982. Plants so reproduced continued to have the same favorable characteristics with clean, medium green foliage on stiff stems and white flowers with light yellow centers fading to a clear snow white color.
Plants of this Chrysanthemum were field tested at seven locations in Minnesota in 1985, 1986 and 1987, including the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and the Crookston, Grand Rapids, Lamberton, Morris, Rosemount and Waseca Agricultural Experiment Stations. In addition, this cultivar was trialed in 1985, 1986 and 1987 as a greenhouse grown spring flowering plant in 3-inch pots. Rooted cuttings were potted March 15 of each year, pinched (stem tip removal) one week later and successfully forced into bloom in both natural (long day) and short day (0800-1600 hours) photoperiods. Flowering of this selection in the St. Paul Campus field test plots of the University of Minnesota usually begins in the last week of August and a week before the cultivar Baby Tears.